Equivalence is Relative
by sirensoundwave
Summary: All is one and one is all. The Elrics discover how painfully literal that statement happens to be with a little help from someone who just happens to be passing through. For better or worse. Not compliant w/ 2003 series end or CoS. This is a stand alone RoC fic that goes more the drama/philosophical route that OUATE, Parallels and RtH do.
1. Equivalence is Relative

Sup!

The entire first half of this is a chapter is actually an interlude chapter for some of my other stories. All you really need to know is the following:

Pretty much everything we think is a work of fiction actually exists as an alternate reality. These realities are governed by their creators known as guardians. Guardians will often have children who help keep their reality on check called Chaos mages. The standard number is two: one representing the light and and the dark. Neither is good nor evil just reflections of each other. Still the number is dependent on the power needed to hold everything together (the Marvel reality is actually a several realities and the DC one has a light, dark and neutral mage). Mages in turn can create priests or priestesses to serve them. Or even enlist mortal champions.

But even all powerful beings have rules. Guardians are forbidden to leave their reality and as well as directly interfere with the lives of those in it. They can however subtly influence events. Chaos Mages are free to hop realities and are able to directly interfere but only under special circumstances...like everything's gonna fall apart if they don't circumstances. Priests and priestesses are created when a mortal dies but surrenders their soul to a mage instead of moving on. They have pretty much free reign to act under their master's direction but are significantly less powerful. Champions have the most autonomy but he least power on the totem 're also the easiest to destroy...being still mortal and all.

Sylphine is a light mage from the Once Upon a Time reality. Though sassy she's generally very nice. When we encounter her here though, she's in full mamazilla mode over her lost son (who was kidnapped/reclaimed by his kind in the Harry Potter reality... along with others).

Note this isn't a silly fic.

The second portion of this is in a totally different tone. You'll get it once you see it. Also, this story will not be part of the big merger; it's related but won't share any other chapters. I want this one to be stand alone and go more the drama/philosophical route that OUATE, Parallels and The Road to Hell went. If you like this, check out my other Reality of Chaos fics for the full scope of characters involved.

*ER*

To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.

After it's world came into being, the entity known as Truth looked around at it's brethren across the multiverse...And said nope.

Spending eternity as a glorified babysitter to the insects he created that at any moment could destroy their own reality if he didn't pay close enough attention sounded as amusing as a hole in the head. So, Truth set forth to make it's own rules within the rules. Remove the need to have chaos mages by making the chance of such screw ups virtually impossible. Give them all equal access to the cosmic energy and make the taboo price so steep few would dare break it and even fewer would survive the cost. Make himself known to those dumb enough to try. And equivalent exchange would do the rest.

Things rolled on pretty smoothly. Until...

Van Hohenheim and Dante came in like a wrecking ball hellbent on changing the natural order Truth so carefully set in motion. These two dunderheads wanted to live forever when they had no right to, deciding mass genocide and swapping bodies like underwear was the way to do it. Even after the whole unpleasant side effect of their shiny new meat suits beginning to rot away from the inside out. The change happening faster with each body they stole. The pair having no understanding that the human body was not meant to handle the power of the Philosopher's stone- thus why homunculi could never be human in the first place. That the creatures' sanity deteriorated the longer they existed; if you could call the torture of memories and longings belonging to the dead person you were meant to be but never would sanity in the first place. That that damn stone was never meant to exist but thanks to that pair it did.

Then along came Edward Elric and by association his brother Alphonse. Unlike every other before them that tried human transmutation and failed, they not only set about fixing their mistake and doing some good along the way, the pair was willing to give up their chance once they learned the true cost of the stone they sought for 3 years. It wasn't worth the cost. And they actively tried to destroy it. The elder willing to sacrifice the thing that made him unique for to restore the younger to normal. Two children had a better grasp of the workings of the universe than a man and woman centuries old. There was just something about the two, their compulsion to set things right no matter what amused and confused Truth. He knew Ed would offer his Gate for his brother's body So, he was going to cut them a break or sorts; throw in his arm and leg for free..

Then this shit happened.

"Great. Back here again." Edward sighed. To be fair the Gate of Truth is where he wanted to be for this to work but still, he hated that featureless jackass as much as the bovine mammary secretions it reminded him of.

"GET YOUR LILY WHITE ASS BACK HERE!"

That...wasn't Truth. It was far too feminine, too high pitched and too cheesed off.

"GAH! I told you I can't do it!"

That was it. Though a lot less haughty and put together than usual. Ed looked around until he saw the familiar deity booking it across the white abyss like it's metaphysical ass was on fire. Hot on it's heels a small (shorter than him!) girl, dressed like a Xingese warrior and armed with folding fans? That's not important. What was important were the bolts of lightning she was shooting off with them.

"Be reasonable child! Even if I wanted to help you, my world works differently than yours! I cannot open the gate without being paid a toll!"

"If you wanted to?!" she girl roared. "IF YOU WANTED TO?! I never asked to be here you freak, someone threw me here! How's about you open that gate and I don't make you shoot electricity out of your ass!? How's THAT for payment?!"

"What is going on? Al!" Ed's scan had completely missed the emaciated body propped up against the stone gate, being too distracted by whatever was happening off in the distance. It was only his soulless shell but still, he was right there! This had to work. Seeing him again was too painful for it not to.

The sound of a body hitting the ground then being stomped on like no tomorrow once again drew his attention back to the weirdness. Truth was splayed out face(?) down with the strange girl bouncing on it's back like a trampoline. Though Ed was fairly certain it didn't enjoy it at all as the girl seemed intent on breaking it's back The deity wailing pitifully all the way. This girl...how could she possible force something like Truth to beg for mercy?

"I give!" Truth hollered. "I give!"

"Then send me on my way!" The girl allowed the deity to stand. Her arms crossed over her chest expectantly.

"I CAN"T. Not without being paid a toll. Equivalent Exchange prevents me from just conjuring things without something in recompense." Seeing her left eye began to twitch, the Keeper held up it's arms in defense before hastily continuing. "You're not mortal! Your energy could do it though you might be weaker for some time once you pass. Or you could use him." The being thumbed back at Ed.

For a moment, she didn't seem to have heard the response. Standing completely still and just blinking at the blonde. Then her gaze drifted to Alphonse's body. What was she thinking? Holy shit! Was she considering using them to pay her toll? She continued to just stare at the brothers, making all present uneasy. Especially when Ed noticed a growing spark of abject horror alight in her eyes. Her blank expression gave way to one of disgust and anger.

Truth tried to back up.

CRUNCH!

"You dipshit." came the cold reply. Truth now stood clutching it's face(?), blood trickling between its fingers. Ed couldn't help but have mixed feelings about the whole thing. On one hand she'd refused an offer to use them as cannon fodder, drawn her arm back and struck like a piston to make the prickliest thorn in his side bleed like a waterfall. On the other hand she had made Truth bleed- what was she to do that to a god like entity? Have it so terrified and be able to injure it at all?

"Will you stop that?!"

"You monster. You're no better than Vishnu; thinking it's perfectly acceptable to break the rules to suit your fucked up whims." Her voice remained level, only her glowing golden eyes betraying her fury. "You don't even FEEL it do you?"

"..."

Again with the staring, this time at Truth itself. Who despite having no face, managed to look ashamed with the girl's gaze boring into it like a laser. Until she sighed and buried her face in her small hands.

"You don't nor have no idea what to do about it. Outstanding." she groaned. "Why am I always cleaning up the messes caused by my aunts and uncles? I really thought you all were supposed to be sage and crap. Aside from Mama, Uncle Ebedi and Auntie Aurii, you all seem to be morons. There's a difference between bad luck a bass ackward logic you know that right?"

"Get off your high horse girl. You've no idea what you're talking about, you're just a mage-"

"Who, at present, could whoop your ass. By myself. Doesn't that seem a bit unbalanced to you?" Her stare was flat. "You've screwed with the way things are supposed to be so much, Affinity balanced things out the best way it could to keep this reality from cracking like a china plate. At least that shows you're slightly smarter than Vishnu. You traded your real power for whatever half baked version of order this is. Equivalent exchange is just another term for it. So, how's that workin for ya?"

"If you're so much smarter and more powerful than me, why don't you figure out how to leave?" Truth's tone was bitter with a sharp sting.

"I already have. And as a bonus, I'm gonna help you out of this mess."

"Or, you need to fix what's wrong so you can be on your way."

"To-may-to, to-mah-to. Don't be more of a dick."

By this time, Ed was certain he'd either had a stroke, was hallucinating, dead or something of the like. Words had officially lost any meaning. What the hell was going on?! The fact that both were now looking at him made him realize he'd shouted that last bit. Now (more) uncomfortable, he shifted around on his feet nervously.

"It's your lucky day Mr. Al-che-mist. My...guest may just be able to get you out of this with no toll." There was the smarmy condescending bastard Major Elric hated so much. It might have looked more imposing if not for the river of red running down its front.

"Stop trying to save face. You've lost all credibility, shut up." The girl shook her head, then flashed an angelic smile at the braided blonde. "What Truth meant to say was all the shit I'm sure you two've been through has given you so much karma credit it's ridiculous. And because he fucked up, the cosmic balance has put you on a pretty rough path to being where you truly belong. I'm Sylphine. Though the circumstances could be better, it's nice ta meetcha cuz!"

WHAT?!

*ER*

Sylphine, as the boys learned, was in a hurry. After helping Truth undo something, she took them aside.

"Truth's a bit of a bastard but it means well." She sighed. "Hoenheim and Dante are...were cast offs, splinters of Truth. They're zeal to achieve the unachievable came from knowing deep down that they were once part of a higher power and so they tried to get back to it."

"That faceless asshole really is our father then." Ed laughed bitterly.

"Brother..." Al sighed. "So, thank you but, um now what Ms Sylphine?"

"First of all it's just Sylphine. We're cousins so stop with that. Second don't thank me, in fact you'll probably start to hate me soon. You're no longer mortal. Everyone you have grown to know and love will die and you will live on eternal. This is the cost of what we are." She smiled sadly. "You have the power to shape reality but you'll also find there are things you should not do even though you can. My advice to you is to try and fix not everything but rather ONLY the things you know were directly caused by your actions."

"So Ishval and Xerxes stay in ruins but we can save Hughes? Or even Nina? People we personally knew? That seems awfully selfish and lopsided. Why have these powers when we can't use them to help the most people we can?!" Ed frowned glaring at her.

"Because most things happen for a reason Ed, even the horrific ones. They are best left alone no matter how we personally feel about them. All of this lead to you and Al being brought to your rightful place but somethings are of little consequence on the grand scale. You're smart boys, I'm sure you'll figure out what I mean." She stood on her tiptoes to give them both a kiss on the cheek. "I took valuable time from my quest to grant you this chance. Don't fuck it up, kay? That means you too you faceless dumbass."

With that she skipped through the gate.

That was 18 months ago in real world time. Not really much time to an immortal, but long enough for them both to be declared dead by the military. Long enough to ponder what she meant. Long enough to experience the cabaret of emotions their epiphany rained down on them.

"We still can't bring mom back." Ed sighed. The breeze skewing his unbraided hair slightly. All around children running about on the playground.

"Because she was never meant to exist." Al added quietly not really watching the scene around him.

Of all the things that happened to them, of all they came to realize that had been the worst of all. And Sylphine had been right. The pair had spent sometime after her departure wishing to strangle the pint sized girl. Well Ed had. Al was just very angry in general.

Trisha Elric had also been a splinter of Truth. It's maternal/paternal self wishing to have children. But unlike the portions that became Hohenheim and Dante she had no desire for eternal life, but merely to create it. Cherish it, see it flourish. Unfortunately being so loosely connected to her whole self didn't allow her to see the outcome of her choices or even realize what she was. The cost of her desire happened to be her life. Bringing not one but two children who should be gods into the world consumed all the essence she had. Only sheer force of will allowed her to exist as long as she had afterwards.

When she died, she did return to the gate. And instead of being welcomed back Truth didn't understand therefore feared what she represented. Instead of allowing that portion to return to it, it instead sealed it off within itself. Just as it would do to Dante and Hohenheim when they perished in the final battle. And this is where it all fell apart.

Being what they were, had it been any other person they tried to revive, it would have been lauded as the first successful human resurrection. Instead, the transmutation the Elric brothers attempted only failed because there was no human soul for them to pull back. Eager to be reunited with her boys, Trisha herself tried to take them both back into her. Back into the Gate.. Only Ed's quick thinking, Truth being confused as shit about the whole situation and her still being so weak stopped it from happening completely.

Truth couldn't believe they had escaped its grasp with such a meager toll! A body and two limbs were NOT equivalent to what they tried to pull! They both belonged to IT now! How dare they?! Why were they special?!

/All is one and one is all./

/I am the world and the world is me./

/What is done in the shadows of the dark is not always tainted. Nor is all done under the glow of the light pure. This is the one truth that cannot be denied./*

/Good and evil are ultimately worthless constructs of the mind./"

Everything that had ever occurred in their world for good or ill all boiled down to broken fragments of a shattered being trying to reunite without ever realizing it.

What drew Dante and Hohenheim together. What didn't allow their child to thrive. The reason he met and married Trisha. The cause of him leaving once they were born; the call of his original goal far too strong. The reason she died. The reason she couldn't be revived. The purpose of everything before, between and after.

All Sylphine had done was get Truth to accept this and allow itself to be whole again.

Edward had literally ripped out hair at that realization. Al blinked then laughed uneasily as the golden locks instantly regrew but totally got what was pissing his brother off. On the brightside, he was no longer (quite as) mad at their helpful cousin. But enraged at his asshole father. This time having undeniable validation for his belief that it was his fault their mom died. If Truth hadn't been so afraid of what he saw his brethren endure then become so complacent in the fractured reality it created then he and Alphonse would have been born as they should have directly from it. Not been the result of equivalent exchange (the affinity, WHAT-FUCKING-EVER!) forcefully shoving the pieces of the puzzle together; and their feelings be damned .

The brothers would never have faced such hardships. Never encountered all those they had ever helped, harmed, been unable to save or inspired in fashion. Amestris would never have existed at all. And neither would Trisha Elric. Talk about your catch 22s.

/This is the cost of what we are./

On the other hand they would not be the people they had become. Without Trisha's unconditional love, Izumi's firm but caring hand, meeting Colonel (now Fuhrer) Bastard, even the behind the scenes manipulations of the homunculi and their creators...who knows.

And therein lied the crux. Were all these mistakes truly mistakes or were they always meant to be?

*ER*

*The core principles of my Reality of Chaos concept.

Tada. This isn't the end of this side fic. Plot bunnies fucking love me after all and this has evolved. (Hides from readers demanding updates to other fics.) This was mostly Edward's reaction so there's lots of potential for others later on. I warn you from this point on, this story is gonna earn it's T rating. The subject matter wil be more of the mature nature and will not be just silliness, but don't worry, I specialize in dark humor with a purpose.

Love it? Hate it? Complete indifference? Reviews are like hugs! Sirensoundwave out!


	2. Seven Candles

Two chapters in one day? Le gasp!

This one explains the brothers weren't just randomly in a park last chapter.

*ER*

"I refuse to help you with this."

"I don't exactly need your help." Alphonse rolled his eyes earning a sour look from his brother that could, ironically, curdle milk.* "This is the right thing to do and you know it."

"No, it's an undeserved second chance." Fullmetal huffed and turned to leave The Gate.

"How is that? When the first one wasn't really much of a choice?" Al asked, stopping Ed in his tracks. He didn't respond for several seconds. Finally he snorted.

"Do what you want." He grounded out. With a familiar clapping sound, the elder Elric vanished in a flash of blue light.

"I always do brother. Will you be this way forever?" With a sigh, Al started to clap only to be interrupted before his hand connected.

"He's still just upset about everything that's happened Alphonse. He isn't really angry with you." The legion like voice of Truth spoke from behind him. "Forever is a long time."

"I know that. But this is something I know in my heart is right to do." He paused. "What do you think...father?"

Father, and Mother.

Edward still refused to call Truth anything but Truth. Or Blind Asshole. Or Faceless Bastard. Or whatever creatively derogatory expletive happened to tumble out of his mouth really. In the time since Sylphine crashed landed into then gingerly skipped out of their lives the brothers had spent a great deal of time pondering their new existence and all that entailed. It didn't really surprise the two of them that Alphonse happened to be a Light Mage and Edward a Dark Mage. Especially remembering Sylphine's short explanation of their kind's nature.

While having the capacity to be selfless (assuming more of a burden than really fair) sincere and caring, Dark Mages were generally loosely wrapped bags of crazy when push came to shove. Often reckless and wreaking general havoc around them even without meaning to at times. Short tempered, pessimistic, spiteful and occasionally blinded by their own animosity (or apathy) fit Ed to a tee at times too.

Light mages were often considered sweet, gentle, self sacrificing, and optimistic about most people and things. Until you pressed the right (wrong) buttons; then affinity help you and anything standing between you and them. Hella destructive when provoked, willing to do whatever it takes to succeed at what he deems worthy (even if it means a few others have to eat along the way) and also being a slave to their own emotions happened to be faults Alphonse shared too. The brothers were mirror reflections of each other and thus their acute codependency provided balance between them.

Despite this, there were of course points of contention as with any siblings. And this was one.

"I think I've meddled enough. It's your turn now, the both of you." Truth laughed. "I'm content just holding everything together and judging those foolish enough to trespass without invite."

*ER*

Which brings us back to that park.

Brother always said he had a soft spot for strays.

"Good heavens! Gunther spit that out right now!" Shrieked a dark haired woman. Snatching up her purse she made a beeline for the rotund little boy happily munching on a maple stick, trying to hide under the tree's shade on the side opposite the bench she had been on. He couldn't be more than 8 or 9.

"But it smells like syrup and tastes sweet mommy." The boy whined as she took it from him. "I'm hungry!"

"I know dear. Honestly what do I pay that doctor for if he can't cure your pica**? He knows damn well I haven't the money to spare." Exasperated she stood him up and dusted off his clothes. "Come along now."

"Can we get pancakes?"

"We'll see if their still serving breakfast at Marzan's okay?" She smiled.

"Yay!"

The brothers watched the small family walk off, passing an older gentleman with his easel set up to paint the scenery. The patch over his left eye bearing a silver emboss of the Amestrian State seal. To most, he seemed to be a former soldier enjoying his retirement. Only the Elrics knew better.

"I believe Marzan's is serving up hotcakes all day Miss Luana." he smiled at the pair.

"Thank you Mr. Penrod." Though she returned the facial expression, her tone and clenched teeth suggested she wished the old man had simply kept his mouth shut.

A good distance from those relaxing, two figures stood in the shadows of an alleyway conversing out of most people's earshot. The brothers weren't most people.

"Still pickin pockets eh?" The taller took a drag from his cigar, absently stroking his fur collar with his free hand.

"Shut up Gregor you ain't my dad." his spiky haired companion snapped. He was dressed like typical kid to hide his hooligan tendencies perhaps. Though that outrageous green hair wasn't doing him any favors as far as blending in. Even with the hat.

"No but I am your guardian. I don't like it anymore than you brat I like my freedom too much to go to jail for your dumbass." The man beside him bopped him in the head. "Take it back right now Engel. Damn your mom named you poorly."

"Shut up my name's just fine!" Engel huffed sullenly. "Fine..."

"What made you come out here brother?" Alphonse asked, watching Engel stomp back to casually slip the watch he'd swiped from a man browsing at a pottery stand into his wife's purse as he passed them. "Did you change your mind?"

"I guess you could say that. I suppose those bastards do deserve a second chance. They never did have much of a choice in what they did their last life." Ed smiled at what used to be Lust holding onto a bouncing mini Gluttony. His eyes softening when he turned to look at Engel. Something flickering in them his brother could not place. "Their mistakes weren't exactly their own."

"The Curtis' love having their son back. He helps Sig at the shop but likes showing off his alchemy at home to be Teacher's little handyman better. It's kinda funny that his original name was Ramhart." the younger brother turned towards the sky.

"Mighty intelligent indeed. Of course you let him keep all the alchemy knowledge he got from me so that's to be expected." Ed puffed out his chest proudly. "I am a genius after all."

"Why are you suddenly so happy about my decision brother. Ego aside." Though he didn't turn away from the clouds, Al's question carried an aire of suspicion.

"I can't be happy for someone else?"

"That's not why."

"Well, you sort of gave me an idea. Let's see if Fuhrer Bastard notices before I decide to act. Memories can be tricky to manipulate. After all that's why Teach, Sig and Wrath are the only ones you let remember right?" Ed gave a wolfish sneer. "I didn't use my desk much but everyone thinks I kept a certain picture on it...that I bet is now in his office out of sentiment."

"Brother you didn't!" Al groaned. A familiar cackle validated his theory. "You did. That's NOT where I put her! He's gonna have a heart attack, how could you?!"

Fullmetal just continued to laugh hysterically despite being questioned angrily.

*ER*

"Sir I'm so sorry I'm late!" A dark blonde woman dressed in a female officer uniform burst into the leader of the country's office clutching a pile of folders. Her loose hair flying around her.

"It's quite alright...um. Forgive me, your name escapes me my dear. I know Hawkeye mentioned you to me before her leave..." he trailed off as his gaze landed on the one possession he had of a former subordinate. There on the shelf, the image of two brothers hair the color of the sun being hugged by their mother as the trio smiled into the camera sat in a plain oak wood frame. He paled instantly, his single eye going wide.

"Oh, well you're a busy man and I'm new and sort of forgettable...and I'm rambling aren't?" she blushed nervously swiping a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Juliet Douglas, your new secretary reporting for duty, uh, Sir? Are you okay?"

*ER*

*gonna make milk jokes when I can :P

**pica is a condition that causes people or animals to eat things they really shouldn't like hair, dirt, rocks, etc. It's thought to be purely a psychological disorder with no actual 'cure' and though sometimes treatable with meds, behavioral therapy is generally recommended to best manage it.

Yeah, Al felt the homunculi deserved real lives. And naturally, Ed perverted part of it for his own amusement. He's still a little shit.

Since they had no souls, he didn't violate the law that life flows only in one direction by making them human. That particular rule has a loophole we might revisit later n_n

Name list:

Gluttony: Gunther- Warrior; arguably loyal warrior

Lust: Luana- Battle Maiden

Pride: Penrod- Famous Commander

Greed: Gregor- Vigilant

Envy: Engel- Angel

Wrath: Ramhart- mighty and/or intelligent

Sloth: Juliet Douglas- the alias she used...for the same position under Bradley. Juliet happens to mean youthful

These were picked for meaning and/or similarity to their original sins in pronunciation.

Love it? Hate it? Complete indifference? Reviews are like hugs! Sirensoundwave out!


	3. Children are a Blessing

This chapter addresses a plot hole in the FMA 2003 anime series logic that's always bothered me. Namely why Wrath, a homunculus with supposedly no soul is able to use alchemy. And is then able to reunite with the already dead Izumi after sacrificing himself to open the gate on the Amestris side in CoS. The great thing about my Chaos Mage concept is it can be used to fix such plot holes without altering the actual story n_n

Let's go!

*ER*

Izumi Curtis could not believe this. Not only were Edward and Alphonse Elric alive, they were different in mind boggling ways. Mind boggling and infuriating ways. What she thought to be a godsend had turned out to be a an utter disaster on so many levels.

"You have the power to make this right but all you've done is drug me through hell again! Alphonse, I know what I did was terrible, giving my child to the gate simply because he didn't look the way I expected. I was frightened! But why should Ramhart suffer those terrible memories of his past?!" Mrs Curtis demanded, collapsing to her knees before him.

Everything could be just fine for the small family if not for the fact that adjusting was hard not only for her and Sig but her little boy. Why was her son being punished by the phantoms of a life he had no choice in? Where he was warped and manipulated into doing unspeakable things, given the name Wrath and set loose to act upon a sinful nature caused by HER rejection? And the nightmare her baby had. Dear Truth the nightmares! Why must he suffer for her mistakes?

"Because, this is your price."

"What?" Izumi looked up at her former student, tears streaming her face.

"You are one of few people who have seen The Gate and not been killed or driven mad. Brother and I survived our transgression only because we are it's children yet we were punished all the same. The laws of equivalent exchange have not changed Teacher, only how they are enforced as been altered." Al smiled sadly at her. "There is no equivalence for a soul save another soul. Did you never wonder why bringing your son back didn't kill you? Merely destroy your organs?"

She had actually. Though never been able to figure out an answer beyond having to atone for her sin. Seeing that chance in the Elrics. Then failing miserably as they repeated the same folly. Knowing what she does now about how homunculi look when first spawned...Ramhart was almost perfect compared to the others she researched. What Ed and Al had told her came forth instead of their mother. For that matter, why had her ailment vanished? Would she finally have answers now?

"That was your price then. Now to have the chance to raise him, live your life as his mother you need to be healthy enough to do so. In exchange for that you must be the one to help him heal. Mothers can't just force their children to forget their pain now can they? The price for this second chance with him is living with the knowledge that he is the way he is because of you."

No...

No! Alphonse couldn't possibly be this cruel.

"It's not cruelty Teacher, it's as close to mercy as that Faceless Fucker will allow us." Ed sighed. Briefly she wondered where he came from. The elder Elric hadn't been there when she collapsed . It took a moment to realize the brothers were literally the gate's children; human understanding of logic probably didn't apply to them. So instead of questioning the defiance of scientific principle, she glared at him, likely more upset about having her mind read.

"Think about it." Al gave his brother a look which he dismissed and continued to speak as if he hadn't seen it. "What you did should have killed you or driven you out of your goddamn mind. He's the only homunculus that survived. The only one capable of using alchemy."

"Because he had been given your limbs." She spat.

"No. Alchemy requires a soul, not portions of a human body. If that's the case, Al shouldn't have been able to perform it as a suit of armor. You transmuted him from his own corpse...right after he died. When his soul was still tangible and partially connected to the mortal plane.. Congratulations, you performed the first successful resurrection of a human."

That couldn't be right. That misguided attempt yielded a homunculus:the strength, the regeneration, the tattoo on his foot. None of that was human! But now...

*ER*

Almost two years ago, a storm had settled over Dublith and bore down on the town for about two days. There had been concern about flooding from runoff so several local alchemists had banded together to devise a the need for a transmutation circle made things slow going in the downpour; it was less common for non-military alchemists to use a premade circle as present on Mustang's gloves or Armstrong's gauntlets. Many were thankful for her ability to forgo such a handicap and create a higher floodwall in all of half an hour.

Returning from the riverbank soaked to the bone (damn raincoat wasn't worth the money she paid for it! That shyster at the general store got over on people because of the weather!) to see something glinting on her front porch. Sig was visiting his sister and Hilda certainly wasn't going to send her big brother out in this mess. As she got closer, Izumi recognized the craftsmanship of his automail as Rockbell's. Only the much smaller size ruled out the possibility of it being Edward. Aware of what Wrath was capable of, she cautiously approached her home. Once she was a foot away, he looked up at her.

""I'm sorry mommy." Rain or not, there could be no mistaking the poor thing had been crying. Large violet eye bloodshot and full of remorse. Before her mind could interfere, her heart leapt into action.

"It- it's alright dear. Let's get you out of the cold. It can't be good for your automail."

A hot bath and warm bowl of stew later, Izumi found herself watching him sleep on the guest bed. Transmuting a sheet into a set of PJs had been easy...but what now? What happens when Sig comes home? Why had she even allowed the same monster that tried several times to murder her and her students any measure of comfort? Shouldn't she have chased it off or better yet destroyed the abomination?!

/Because he's my sin and no one else's./ Her conscience told her. If she hadn't been so selfish, allowed her fear to make her practically throw him back into the Gate, maybe he might not have been so easily lured in by Envy. Or consumed by the vice he was christened as. But, why now? Why had he shown up at all? That deceitful body swapping bitch and the last of her flunkies had been deep sixed three months ago.

/Where has my little boy been all this time?/

[I see why they care for you so. For all your bravado, you're still just a grieving mother.]

The housewife jumped at that. The sound of many speaking the same words at once. It reminded her of that horrible day. The ghastly doors, those sickening tendrils reaching-

[I do not forgive you for breaking the one true taboo and never will. But he might. Time will tell, hm?]

Suddenly she sat up to find the storm had abated...but when did the sun come up? And why was the bed empty? It had been made but too...had she been so exhausted she'd dreamed it all? No such luck. A quick survey of the room found Wrath sitting on the floor in front of the full length mirror staring intently at his right foot. Specifically, the soul of said foot he stared at the reflection of while wiggling his toes and moving the foot to and fro . She wasn't sure why the sight mystified him since his left leg and arm were more interesting to her. The fact that they were now flesh and blood.

"It's gone." the boy whispered. "How?"

"What's gone?"

"My ouroboros."

He noticed the sole of his foot was missing a tattoo he hardly saw, but not the sudden appearance of real limbs in place of prosthetic ones. She hadn't hallucinated them being automail before. Once she managed to coax him inside, the boy was so out of it she feared he might drown in the tub due to the weight if she left him alone. Only transmuting the arm to the tub rim eased her mind enough to fetch a second towel after realizing the spaces between the automail plating would

need extra attention when drying. Now, not even a scar remained. The heavily burned areas from Sloth's demise gone as well. No hint that anything had ever been there but smooth, pale and unblemished skin.

 _[I do not forgive you for breaking the one true taboo and never will. But he might. Time will tell, hm?]_

The voice of Truth definitely wasn't a hallucination. It had told her, in so many words, that she would have that chance she longed for. To fix her worst mistake. It had seen fit to lead Wrath to her door during that awful storm. To make him human. For some reason.

[Children are a blessing...and a curse.]

*ER*

Love it? Hate it? General indifference? Reviews are like hugs. Sirensoundwave out!


	4. Heavy is the Head that Wears the Crown

So, here we are again. This plunnie now has it's own folder on the farm my gdrive has become. May as well embrace the madness.

In this chapter you may notice some inconsistencies considering I said my favorite version of the anime is the 2003 series. But I concede there are some elements of Brotherhood that are better. Considering it's the more faithful to the manga version...cuz the manga was DONE by then and the anime writers didn't have to attempt to make sense of things Arakawa laid the groundwork for but hadn't progressed her story along far enough for it to be apparent. Or make filler. Oh god this was done ad nauseum to sooo many manga based anime resulting in unresolved plot lines or straight up plot HOLES. So... stand back, gonna try to mix the two version a bit. Lemme know if it's a win or a fail kay? You might also wanna check out the end notes.

Um, slight warning for Ed's mouth I guess?

Onward!

*ER*

"Whazza matter? Depth perception fuckin with ya? Still the same horny bastard I see, lettin your guard down for a pretty face ."

"You're dead."

"Not exactly."

Roy stared blankly at the person seated on his desk. A moment ago they had been a rather fetching blonde woman dressed very elegantly on a form fitting red dress. He assumed her at first to be the wife of or a council member herself hoping to get a, ahem, private audience with the Fuhrer. As he had discovered, his missing eye and scar from it had the same effect on the male portion of the government as his predecessor's did. Namely it branded him a war hero and conveyed a sense of superiority and machismo. That second sense came off rather like 'alluring bad boy' to many women due to his age. The number of times he had been outright propositioned by upwardly mobile women (and occasional men) hoping to snag his interest was laughable at best it and the reason Hawkeye remained his bodyguard/secretary as well. While (almost) any red blooded man wouldn't mind catching the eye of a lovely lady, Mustang also knew his new position came with new dangers.

One thing he immediately did was reestablish Ishval as its own sovereign entity. He knew now the only reason for its takeover to be increasing the population pool for plan A to make the stone. The version Dante and her stooges didn't even bother with. They suffered unjustly for nothing and this was the least he could do given his own part in that misery. And immediately Roy had a whole new set of problems.

See the details of the former leader's existence/agenda weren't common knowledge outside the Fuhrer's closest staff. In fact a good number of people saw Roy and his regime as violent usurpers who somehow staged a successful coup. In their minds Bradley's only sin had been his benevolence and misplaced trust in the people who ultimately betrayed him. To the absolute suprise of no one these staunch supporters of the old regime wanted Mustang and his fellow terrorists brought up on charges of treason and assassination among other things. Not sitting pretty as head of state.

Problem two came in the form of corpses, an issue for several reasons. Most obviously there was no proof Bradley was dead as what remained of Pride hardly qualified as human. Nor did anything really remain of the other players on the losing side of this whole kerfuffle. Second came the bodies they did have- of Selim and Mrs. Bradley. No one was entirely sure but the conclusion reached was that the poor woman discovered her dead son in the aftermath. Then overheard the survivors discussing what had occurred; learning that the man she loved and married turned out to be a literally soulless monster that murdered an innocent child whose only crime has been to love him as a father. Hawkeye had heard a gunshot in the distance and found her bleeding out, the pistol still in her mouth. The problem with this being Bradley's supporters quickly painted them as having killed the family then murdered the rightful Fuhrer and had his body disposed of to avoid charges of treason. A small, really stupid but vaguely significant minority believed this for quite a while. Flaws in logic and all. It wasn't until the staggering evidence of the widespread corruption of the previous regime came to light that many of those kinda abandoned the cause. But of course some beliefs cannot be shaken; re: you can't reason with crazies and some still actively opposed Mustang.

Those were just a handful of issues within Amestris. Now, let's talk about those without.

Amestris had burned so many bridges during it's existence it wasn't funny. The revelation that Xerxes had actually been a small city-state that rapidly cannibalized its neighbors over its 400 year existence as Amestris unsettled many. How such knowledge was kept hidden unsettled people even more. So calling out Drachma for their continued conflict and attempts to push into Amestris would be like shouting to the world what big liars the other team were while blatantly ignoring the fact that their own pants were a 3 alarm fire.

Areguro to the south was sorta kinda glad the fighting would stop and the war over borders would end. Except the conflict had occurred so feverishly for so long few to no records of the original borders existed. Then there was the tiny issue of an extended conflict with a superpower having utterly devastated the smaller country's economy. So in 'you break it you bought it' fashion Amestris suddenly found itself supporting its southern neighbor as it tried to rebuild. Not that is amounted to a huge financial burden so much as a 'why are we bothering' issue. War is war and even some of his supporters didn't feel they should be wasting resources on a former combatant. Especially not with Drachma grumbling at their northern door.

Which bring us to issue three. It wasn't his intention to keep Amestris a military state. His initial plan called for a judicial, executive and legislative run government that the military would simply be subject to introduced over the course of 5-7 years. Except the only officials with any sense after the purge were all military men and women on the lower levels of the ranks with few exceptions. A lot of civilian candidates appeared more interested in the business side than the actual governing aspect of politics. This coupled with the shaky relationships all around its borders made depowering and restructuring the military a really terrible idea. At the time; he still firmly believed free elections were the best route though.

So about half the people were pretty okay with Roy in charge. But the other half was split. Once group still believed an unjust coup had occurred. Another agreed the old regime was corrupted but remained skeptical of the new one due to how suddenly and violently it came to power. Those who were well aware of how unjust things had been but had lived it up and were a bit peeved their gravy train had pulled out of the station, were kinda psycho and saw nothing wrong with the status quo or planned to do what Mustang and Co had done to serve their own needs. Did I mention the fact that some people were more or less ok with the new Fuhrer only because they didn't really care what all fuss was about unless the changes affect them in a negative way?

Yep. Only Xing and it's isolationist stance hadn't been affected.

Because of all this, the Flame Alchemist had had at least 3 attempts on his life since taking the position. The most recent of which had been a lovely lady with a gun and back up dagger. Luckily she had to be the worst shot in the world; unloading the entire clip and hitting nothing but an unarmed wall then fumbling with the blade holster on her thigh before Havok cuffed her in the head with the butt of his own pistol. Yet some how this woman managed to get past security. Riza's vacation just started-

Then her form started to ripple and change before his eyes which brought to mind Envy. Who had the nerve to take that form!

"How are you alive homunculus?!" Roy growled ready to snap and summon a spark. He rarely took his gloves off nowadays. This was all the proof he needed. First Sloth now this one.

"Calm down Fuhrer Bastard. Envy not being dead has more to do with Al being a bleeding heart than any failing on your part. You've done well for yourself since I've been gone. Country seems to be on the upswing, congrats."

Snap.

The figure was engulfed in flame. For like two seconds before a familiar blue light erupted around it, swallowing up the inferno. This was really Ed?!

"Nice try. So how do you like your new assistant? I picked her just for you."

And...the little hamster running the wheel that kept Mustang's brain functioning had a full on corollary. Ed was alive but so was Sloth. And he knew it, had sent her to his office. Envy was still around too? Why?! What about the rest?! Had he somehow become their new master?!

"As amusing as watching your impending meltdown is I'm sorta on a timetable." Ed slid off the slightly charred desk. "I came here to offer you a chance to make sure your legacy isn't just holding the bag for Bradley's cluster fuck. Been watching and I gotta say, this shithole took 4 centuries to get into. Your lifetime isn't long enough to dig out of it. No one's is."

"So you can help? At what cost?"

"Well, for some helpful knowledge and more time all I want is your soul. I'll even toss in your eye if you want."

"My soul?!"

If anything that sounded more like a deal with the devil than a friendly offer! Alchemically speaking it was. The greatest taboos dealt in manipulating human bodies and souls and only the naive or complete monsters did that. If he could accept such a payment, it stands to reason whatever his subordinate had become could just take it should he refuse-

"No Roy. It doesn't work like that." Ed sighed. "Whether or not I'm a monster depends on whom you ask but I can't just take what I want from you. There's rules. Even talking to you like this would be breaking them if not for your special situation. And really all things considered." That last bit was mumbled too low to hear.

"My situation? Stop talking in riddles Fullmetal! What the hell is going on!? Everyone thinks you and Al are dead! We found his mangled armor but not your corpse! There are two headstones in Risembool over empty graves!" Roy exploded pure and simple." Suddenly you're alive and asking for my soul which I'm pretty sure I need to exist!"

"Calm down. I can't answer you unless you take the deal hothead. Knowledge is part of the trade. What use would it be to you if you weren't able to use it? Exchange has to be equivalent. But equivalence is sometimes relative."

"I'm not agreeing to anything until I know what I'm signing up for."

"The ability see your dream come true. When have I ever given you reason to distrust me?"

"Distrust?! Plenty of-!"

That look stopped him short. That pleading look from golden eyes boring into him. Begging him to understand. But understand what? This made no sense. What the hell was the shrimp not telling him? If this was even the pipsqueak at all...

"WHO ARE YOU CALLIN A MICROSCOPIC PLANKTON TOO SMALL FOR THE NAKED EYE TO SEE? I AIN'T SHORT YOU BASTARD!"

"Yeah. You're Ed alright." Mustang couldn't help but laugh. Even though having his mind read seemed rather creepy. "I assume once I agree I can't back out."

"Nope." The blonde popped the p sound.

"Fine. I just better not regret this." For all he knew this was just that bad sausage he had for lunch coming back to haunt him during his nap. This could be a stupid dream.

Edward smiled at him as he closed the gap been them to stand directly in front of the Fuhrer. He hadn't grown at all since last they me. That smile though...was the same one Fullmetal always gave right before he caused him all sorts of paperwork and headache as a Colonel.

"You prolly will. But you'll get over it- no take backs." A gloved hand came to rest against the left side of his throat too fast for him to question or object to and his vision turned white. At the same time pain erupted at the base of his skull.

Now he stood... nowhere? It was hard to tell since there was nothing to see. No ground, no sky just a colorless void.

"What the fuck?!"

"I'm told it hurts more if you're still alive. Long time no see huh?"

Roy spun around so fast he almost face planted from the torque. Casually standing behind him was Hughes. Looking not at all as if he's been dead for over two years. Wearing civilian clothes.

"Wha, how.."

"I couldn't tell you until you agreed."

Ed stood near by, somehow. Had he been here the whole time? Wherever here is?

"A blood vessel in your brain was set to pop killing you before you hit the floor today." The blonde said calmly. "Your vision for Amestris dying with you."

That explains the whole being on a schedule thing. And the pain he felt moments after Edward touched him.

"It's a long involved story but short version goes like this. I was right, our dad's a dick who caused our mom to die just not how I thought. Al and I are Truth's children, basically born to help Truth keep balance. But since he was kinda a lazy retard, we were made wrong and a shit ton of people got fucked over as well. It's his fault all this shit with the stone happened so me and Al get the 'privilege' of fixing his fuck up. And to do that, you have to be the one to lead the country."

"You're making less sense than usual." Roy deadpanned.

"It's really not worth arguing right now Roy. Just roll with it for now. Took months for me to get the whole story and even then it was from Al and Scar. Not the guy who made me." Maes half heartedly glared at the blonde who merely rolled his eyes. Neither acknowledging Roy's bewildered expression at the casual mention of the serial killer. Who also should be dead. "Technically we are neither alive nor dead. We exist outside of time and space so it's rules don't affect us the same way anymore. Our job is to make sure reality doesn't go to hell. Huh, yours is a lot more conspicuous than mine..."

"You got shot in the chest. Mustang had a biological bomb go off in his head. Still I wanted him to be able to hide it until he learns to cast illusions." Ed smirked.

"I still say you've developed a rather cruel streak since I died." Hughes huffed. "And Alphonse agrees with me."

At Roy's puzzled expression the dark mage clapped and touched the space near his feet. A full length mirror sprouted from the ground? Floor? Trying to piece that together however took a back seat when he observed the bright red mark peeking out from under his high collar. Ripping the buttons clean off to get a better look he screamed at the sight. Staining the skin Fullmetal had touched...

...was an ouroboros.

*ER*

Yup. Ed is still being a little shit. Oh well, Roy's got eternity to get used to it now.

So, explaining.

Firstly, I had to incorporate the nationwide transmutation circle because that's the only logic I could see in Amestris trying to absorb it's neighbors so urgently. Without that detail, the Ishval annexation makes no goddamn sense even on it's own. But it was only Plan A- they eventually had to settle for one small town when Ed and Company started to catch on. So the 2003 Grand Arcanum was Plan B and the one actually activated. But Ed's choice that would have sent him to WWII Germany was disrupted by Sylphine being detoured there at the same time.

I haven't really seen many fics where Roy becomes Fuhrer that actually deals full scope with the messed up situation he has to fix. To be fair I haven't looked all that hard so that might be why. But even the animes both kinda gloss over the fact that the damage done could even hope to be resolved over one guy's term in office nor would a sudden shift in political power be nearly that smooth should the state demilitarize. Anyway, I have said before that Mages can only directly interfere in times of near cataclysm. Ed didn't break any rules talking to Roy before he died because he didn't actually tell him anything at first. Still, because of the radically different way Truth's initial actions caused it's reality to work (literally anyone who understands Alchemy can tap into its power though on a severely limited scale; in hindsight this was REALLY dumb) Edward and Alphonse have a free pass to do pretty much whatever they want; they are still bound by the affinity though. So while directly forcing people and events to act as they wish like kids playing with dolls is within their new found power it's not necessarily a good idea. Free will still has to exist no matter what. Even though they have determined a mere mortal couldn't solve a problem set created be things that weren't even human themselves.

This is not the first time a reality has been shown to deviate from the standard because of mistakes or bad decisions on a Guardian's part. In the Road To Hell, the Danny Phantom reality is still kinda broken even after the crisis is averted. It's even plainly stated by the characters that the only way to fix it to function properly would be a cosmic reset. Basically a big bang, take two. No one liked that idea very much so they just made do with the status quo and try not to screw things up further instead.

I love Kid Wrath so he stays too n_n

Lastly the homunculi are what happens when someone who has no clue about their place in the universe tries human transmutation. But what if they turned out so messed up because originally they were supposed to be the priests and priestesses created by mages? Remember the ability to make them or perform any type of alchemy can be gained simply from studying, trial and error. The ones Dante and Hohenheim created/got ahold of were only higher functioning because they had SOME knowledge of how they should be since the two were splinters of Truth?

But yeah, Ed let Roy freak out over becoming one just for shits and giggles.

So, what do you guys think of the world I've established for FMA in my Reality of Chaos series? Love it? Hate it? Questions? Let me know. Reviews are like hugs! Sirensoundwave out.


	5. Indulgence

Hey. This is another heavy chapter. Last time highlighted Ed. Him transforming Roy (and Maes) into homunculi and why he did. This is Al's creation of his Priest... Scar. Thus it deals with religious musing such as concepts of sin, damnation, repentance vs punishment, and redemption. I have no goddamn idea what Scar's birth name is (no the absurdly long omake joke is NOT it) so I am going with the insinuations made that in turning his back on god has "lost himself" and thus no longer deserves one. Note, this is just MY interpretation of what could have caused him to become the guy we know from the 2003 series. This is based on my own studies of psychology (formal and refresher courses from Google U ;P) so if it rubs you wrong, um, sorry?

Oh, cookies to whoever figures out who the other homunculus is before it's revealed.

*ER*

When he awoke, all he could really think about was how his Ishvala had forsaken him. Or, rather, how he had forsaken himself. His quest began with noble intentions...but the human failings of anger, wrathfulness and hubris warped his righteous crusade into a murder spree. Using the same unholy power he sought to destroy. It made no difference that he fought the heathens, he did so using their perversion of God's laws. It made no difference that he did not 'follow through' with transmutation, thus exacting justice using their own taboo. In the end, all his work had been for nought, he knew it

And this was his Purgatory.

Of course, he had only given his right arm to the lesser of two evils. The choices were either the mysterious likes of those who wished to take thousands if not millions of lives to further their perverse endeavor to live forever. Or the Elrics. Whom he had come to respect for their dedication to absolving their own sin...by using the same wicked power. Who knew the power within their grasp (if they created their own stone they'd be unstoppable) but were repulsed by it's cost. Whom he envied for their brotherly love; a love he could never properly share due to his brother's sacrifice.

He had come to believe so long as he lived so did the power of the half completed stone, the power of those lost souls would remain within him, but how could he be sure? He could have made no choice at all but then he had no idea if the power within him could be stripped from his corpse. Giving it to Alphonse was the only way he could be sure that a greater abomination didn't get it.

So his current situation serves as bitter irony.

He had no clue how long he had been there. Forced to experience the lives of those he had passed judgement upon. And to his amazement, some were well meaning men and women. Those who may not have believed in his god or any at all for that matter but understood that alchemy did not make them gods. Some knew of the evils their government had wrought, wishing to somehow do something about it. Still, many more were blissfully unaware yet became what they were to try and help people. Because they had done so the wrong way, they were still sinners. Every last one.

Right?

/You can't use god as a scapegoat for your own actions./ Fullmetal had said to him once, when trying to convince him what he was doing was wrong. Just what a godless sinner would say. The nerve of him trying sway him from his righteous path. But when he met him again, after he had died and looked upon his actions with new eyes? The short boy took a running leap and punched him right in the face with his metal fist. The bone shattering force knocked him off his feet and backwards a fair ways.

"If you're gonna do something, fucking own it. After all if everyone passed the buck when things went pear shaped, how can anyone ever be responsible for any choice they make? Accountable for any consequence they've wrought? How the hell does anyone learn any damn thing crying 'not it'?" They boy spat hotly. The words had a bit less impact than the ringing in his ears and the pain in his busted nose. He only duly registered the clapping sound and the bright flash that followed.

"Brother's still bit heavy handed. Pardon the pun." That voice lacked the hollow echo he had come to expect from it. "You know, he's not really happy to see you- I'm the one who pulled you out of the gate."

"What?" His vision cleared enough to see a very similar face against the stark white abyss around them.

"You do remember melding your arm with my armor right? What happened after might be a bit fuzzy but basically you died shortly after activating the other half of the transmutation using the soldiers in Reole as alchemic material and making me the Philosopher's stone. It saved me, and you probably don't even really know what you did but well that doesn't matter now."

"I killed more of your people and it doesn't matter?" He laughed.

"Do you regret it?"

"Of course not."

"Did it ever occur to you that there might have been a better way to avenge your people than you did?"

"I don't deny I am a sinner boy. I never did."

"Now that's not true. Didn't you tell Brother that you had been charged by Ishvala to right the wrongs done to your kinsmen? That it was in service to him you killed? When really you just wanted revenge? And once you met us...that lust for revenge morphed into jealousy?" Alphonse knelt beside him and touched his bloody face. Scar froze at the contact, his mind filling with all the memories of his life again coming at once. The peace that shattered when the invaders came, losing his arm, that laugh...

...his brother abandoning him.

"He didn't abandon you."

Yes he did! First for the same woman he had long loved from afar, then to live in isolation so no one could stop his use of the devil's arts to bring her back. When that failed and the soldiers came, he cursed him with the fruits of his own folly in his madness! Such a poisonous gift could only be used as he used it! As a weapon of death.

"Or maybe, he beat back his insanity just long enough to give you, the last person who meant anything to him, a chance to survive. Not to perpetuate the cycle of hate but perhaps break it? Or at least keep it from consuming more innocent life. Perhaps he did do it to spite you for some reason- you had no way of really knowing after all. But in the end, it doesn't matter why he did what he did. It was his choice, his cross to bear." The younger Eric withdrew his hand and the flood of memories ceased. As did the pain in his face. But not his heart.

"What do you want from me?" He sighed wearily. "Isn't it enough that I have been brought so low? That I turned my back on all my teachings and became a monster because of the war Amestris brought to our door?! What more do you want?"

"It doesn't matter why he did what he did Scar. What matters is how you used the life he saved. What I want is for you to stop blaming everyone else for your actions and take responsibility for them. Until you do you will never be at peace. What you believe in can only bring you comfort if you truly believe it. Do you?"

He really didn't know anymore. All his beliefs so far had been shattered. Scattered to the winds by all that had happened in his life.

"If you want, I can help you. Of course, nothing comes without a price."

"Of course not. So what will you take?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?!"

""I will take nothing not freely given. In exchange for the chance to right your wrongs, I simply ask for your help in repairing a broken world. They're basically the same goal."

This whole situation was absurd. He was dead. His last act had been to create that accursed stone. Yet here he lay listening to the boy who had been in the empty armor waxing philosophic about his life choices. A child condemning him for his failings, yet offering something only Ishvala himself could. But...what did he have to lose? He wasn't worthy of any sort of salvation...so why not give further into temptation-

"You're doing it again. Either you take the offer or return to the gate to meet whatever fate awaits you there. It is your choice and yours alone to make." the boy sighed.

Could it be...that perhaps this was a test of his faith? In his studies as a monk, he learned the Sun god was a harsh but just creator. His love, an all consuming fire. And he loved his children so much,that that fire could be either warm and inviting to those who treasured and earned it or a devastating force to wipe the slate clean to begin anew. He was of peace but also of hard work and diligence. But then came the loss of the one he loved to his dear brother; in turn Anmarn's loss of his fiance and the madness that loss caused. Scar recalled seeing the two pray every day and night for her to get well. As well as how each day she grew weaker, frailer and filled with unbearable pain. Scar watched the light die in her eyes.

And all he could think was if she had been his things would have been different.

/And just how would they be?/

So many what ifs...so many missed opportunities...so many times he let his baser urges rule him. He had lost himself long before the war. Each new bad experence in his life fueled the malice and anger that had bubbled up from within him when he realized Milata would never be his. Horrified by these feelings he sought any way possible to absolve himself of them. When prayer failed he instead began to hate Anmarn. And Milata. Scar experienced a sick sense of pride when nothing his brother did could save her- and it repulsed him. He tried to deny it.

Then came the invasion. The tension. That poor girl died and all hell broke loose. Ishvalans were massacred for nothing. Now he had a worthy target for his animosity. But could what he did be considered justice or merely an excuse to channel his rage?

Scar did not want to admit what he knew to be the answer. So instead, he took the outstretched right hand. And welcomed the fire that consumed him.

*ER*

"You and strays." Ed snorted.

"That's rather harsh brother." Al admonished. "Would you consider both of them strays then?"

"How do you always turn what I say on it's head?" The older blonde mumbled.

"Flustering our siblings I'm told is a talent light mages share." Al laughed. "Besides I thought you'd find it kinda funny. Scar screwed up his relationship with his big brother being an idiot. Now he gets to walk in his shoes."

"It's not even remotely the same. He let pettiness cause a rift he never got the chance to repair. He chose to make his life more miserable."

"And now he gets to use the knowledge of his error to help heal another who really was destroyed by someone who should have protected them. It's his turn to be the big brother."

"Yeah, yeah."

*ER*

That was how he ended up standing in the ruins of a once great city, watching the shadow of life that haunted it play out in their tortured loop. He knew in time it could be restored it's former glory. That the plans to do so were already set in motion.

"Nii-tan, is this where you used to live?" a tiny voice near his knees asked.

"Yes anin*, it is. This is where my Nii-tan raised me."

"Oh...what happened to your mommy and daddy?" the child sounded sad at that.

"Well, a lot of things happened. Father was much older than my mother so he died much sooner of old age. My mother...Anmarn never told me what she died of but I suspect it is the same thing that took his beloved. Her strength inspired me to become a priest."

"Nii-tan don't cry!" Small arms encircled his leg tightly before he noticed the water on his face. The lone tear had seeped out from under his shades and begun to rapidly evaporate in the noonday sun but his young companion had noticed it shining. "My mommy went away too. Then daddy sent me away too. But now we don't have to be alone anymore. It'll be okay."

Nina Tucker, he learned, had been the only person he showed true mercy to. Fused with her beloved pet by her so called father- just to hold on to one of those damnable watches. That awful man had done the same thing to his wife in order to earn it in the first place. Lying to her about her mother moving away. The pain he put her through just to keep already ill gotten gains once again caused that see of rage to churn within him. Seeing that in this new life she remained as sweet and innocent as any child should but as hurt and scarred as no soul should was heartbreaking. Upon learning the man still lived, he desired nothing more than to make him pay.

"Daddy was bad. Now daddy's all alone." That same day, she laid her head on his lap curling up with her rather large dog at their feet, watching Scar awkwardly try to comfort his crying mistress. "I miss him."

Scar really had no idea what to say to that. It was natural for a small child to cling to the idea of a parent, no matter what abuse they may have suffered at their hands. And he supposed not too unusual to seek comfort from a stranger, for she didn't seem to remember him ending her life. She had been ecstatic when told he would look after her from now on.

Boy did the dog rememeber though. When Alphonse first brought him to the strange room the pair was in, the large white canine had lunged at him and bitten his right arm hard enough to draw blood. He found the room strange because before then, he'd been convinced 'white expanse' was the only variety this plane of existence offered.

"This is her room, it's the exact same as the one at Tucker manor because she wants it to be." Was all the blonde said about it.

While Nina scolded her pet (who seemed to understand her but didn't look remorseful in the least) the white haired man watched in awe as blue lightning arced across his mangled limb, stitching it up seamlessly. The hardwood floor emitting the same show, swallowing up the spilt blood. Satisfied, the small child began merrily hopping all over her bed, pigtails flying wildly as she played.

"Dear Ishvala..."

Exposed by her bangs moving was a symbol he knew well. That facsimile of Mitala bore it across her breast. The seal of a false human was now stamped across this child's forehead. Did that mean she wasn't even alive, an abomination like that fake? What seemed at first to be blood splatter from the attack he now realized to be the same seal on it's forehead.

"I guess without a mirror you might not have noticed. If she's an abomination, what does that make you?" The younger Elric motioned to his right arm. Cautiously Scar removed his jacket and dropped to his knees.

In the same place his brother's arm once met with what remained of his own, the same symbol Nina now had.

*ER*

*anin- it's Nina's name backwards. However, in this story, it's also an Ishvalan word meaning 'little one'

Yeah, given what was done to make her a Chimera, I don't really see Nina being truly separated from her dog even in death. I makes sense to me that they are instead now two halves of a merged soul. As her main source of comfort in life, I see Alexander helping her by being the one to hold her worst memories. She knows her father did something bad to her and her mother but doesn't really remember what it was. She feels sad that he's all alone now.

If you haven't guessed, the placement of the ouroboros is meaningful. Maes' is where he was shot, over his heart. Roy's is on his neck over a major artery to his brain. Scar's is where the white scar from his brother's arm used to be. Nina and Alexander have theirs where Scar touched them a chimera.

The fire/sun thing is a parallel between the god Ishvalans worshiped...and Al. Light mages are often associated with day or the sun (and in at least one case fire) so it's easy to see how Alphonse could be transposed with the sun god.

So, this chapter title actually has a dual meaning. Roman Catholics refer to indulgence as "An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain defined conditions through the Church's help when, as a minister of redemption, she dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions won by Christ and the saints".

What the hell does that mean?

Priest: Oh, did you fuck up? Are you sure? Good on you for admitting it...still ya might wanna try and balance it out with something less sinful, yes? An earnest prayer will knock out the small stuff but the worse it was, the more effort you need to put into it. Like to volunteer? Like taking the scenic route to really far away places? Step into my office and let's figure out just how much you need to do to make your karma copacetic.

Get your minds outta the gutter.

See, it used to mean just actively doing something good to cancel out the sins you've admitted to. Basically the second part to confession. But at some point in the past it was (not even REMOTELY) okay to pay off your assholery and even put in a bit extra for future terrible behavior and still get into heaven. The word indulgence then began to be associated with giving into temptation/being wicked or overdoing a good thing. While it is important to note forgiveness in the Catholic Church so doesn't work this way nor was this practice as widespread as people like to think, pretending some unscrupulous people didn't try to get over doesn't help either.

So, what do you guys think of my character study of Scar? Love it? Hate it? No strong feelings either way? Let me know. Reviews are like hugs! Sirensoundwave out!

Oh, anyone reading Unexpected Lineage can expect an update by this weekend. Shooting to update several fics by Monday actually n_n


	6. Wicked? All In How You Look At It

This chapter may make some people uncomfortable. Nothing naughty per say happens, just the subject matter is a bit..squicky.

Onwards!

*ER*

The changes in the Elrics weren't exactly 180s in personality. More like the two were MORE themselves than ever before. This was Maes' first epiphany upon his rebirth. What he first thought to be bizarre parodies of the boys he knew in life turned out to be the opposite.

The children of Truth were in fact actually Edward and Alphonse...sans their inhibitions just one appeared tamer than the other. And it disturbed him greatly.

Alphonse remained the same caring person but had somewhat lost his timid nature. Still soft spoken and slow to anger, the younger brother was by no means a pushover and held a feral spark on his eyes that promised very bad things should one somehow manage to piss him off. But for all Maes knew that had always been Al's default setting... a suit of armor doesn't exactly convey facial expressions well. He certainly didn't know Al really was taller than Ed by about 3 inches either.

The initial shock about their behavior really came from Ed. He'd always been a bit of a loose cannon but now, well, Ed honestly scared him at first. The boy he knew was very pragmatic and moral- stubborn to a fault but didn't bark at the end of anyone's chain. Quick to point out injustice and rail against it with all his might. This version...

For one if he wanted something, he went after it. Hard. While this doesn't sound too different than his quest for the stone back then he dealt with obstacles using his moral compass- if doing or outright taking something seemed wrong he'd be frustrated but look for another way. Not so with Ed 2.0. If he wanted something, fuck whatever stood in his way.

Case in point, Roy. He began to suspect there might be the inklings of something more than commander and subordinate between his best friend and Fullmetal but the former Lt Colonel was not prepared for the depth of _obsession_ that crush had evolved into. Ed always seemed to get off on fucking with Roy and causing him paperwork headaches with his escapades but since finding out who and what he really was, the teen had stepped up his game. It became increasingly about making Roy uncomfortable (exhibit A Juliet Douglas, formerly Sloth) and he liked the fact that now he could make the man do pretty much anything. Yet while he had the nation's most powerful man and notorious flirt at his mercy, Ed wanted Roy to come to him. If that meant turning Mustang into a mess of sexual frustration, all the more fun.

"I already know he'd been dying to touch me since I enlisted but fraternization and homosexuallality were rather frowned upon in the ranks." The blonde purred reclining with his legs draped over the arms of his chair. "He wanted me so bad he couldn't stand it Hughes. But of course discovering his own wicked kinks kept him at bay. Poor baby." And at that moment Ed giggled. Fucking giggled. This was officially creepy as shit. But it of course got worse as Ed saw fit to not elaborate on just what those kinks were. Instead letting him figure it out...and let his imagine wander in the process.

Roy always preferred the fairer sex. This wasn't new information. He'd known about Mustang's womanizing since the academy. What never occurred to him was the fact that with his hair loose...Ed kinda looked like a girl. By kinda Hughes meant his size and thus apparent age could cause one to overlook the flat chest; the angles of his face weren't very sharp for a boy his age; and when he smiled (not smirked) he looked rather innocent. This HAD occurred to Roy though. Alot. And it made him ashamed of himself.

Then there was the time he managed to catched Ed without his automail. After a big fight with smugglers within his first 6 months of enlistment Ed ended up in a coma; arm and leg reduced to scrap. The military hospital had removed the mangled limbs and gotten an earful from Miss Rockbell about "dicking around with her craftsmanship" and how they better not put any of their shoddy work on him. She'd be in Central within the week and to just keep him stable until she did. Rather surprising that full grown engineers and medical professionals happened to be genuinely terrified of a 13 year old girl from the middle of nowhere based on just an irate phone call.

Roy felt pretty guilty that this had happened and for a while there were whispers of some sort of disciplinary action against him. Nothing came of those rumors and they now knew it was because the Fuhrer had been ordered to keep Ed on as short a leash as possible. We see how well that worked out. But like any decent human being, he went to see him in the hospital.

Maes never understood why the man came running out of Fullmetal's room after just a hot second. He apologized to Al for cutting their conversation short and arrived at the car in time to watch the other man's breakfast decide it'd rather be all over the street than in his stomach. All his blathering about a stomach bug and unfinished paperwork on the way back didn't fly- Havoc had even voiced it as soon as the excuse left his lips. As much was confirmed when Riza shot at him later because she found him drunk on duty. After having 'accidentally' set those very documents on fire. His only excuse?

"I'm a sick individual."

Everyone chalked it up to a PTSD flashback. After all they all knew The Hero of Ishval fucking hated that title. The senseless slaughter of innocent men women and children shouldn't be honored. That Roy regularly drank himself into a stupor when those horrid memories surfaced a well kept secret of their division. Not until after being remade did he finally admit the real reason.

The sight of Ed lying in that bed, literally broken and helpless turned him on more than any miniskirt ever did. Before he knew it, his hands were running through those unbraided golden locks, enjoying the antiseptic-with-a-dash-of-melon scent of the shampoo used to wash the blood out of them. Fingers tracing along his check then reveling in the rough feel of the scar tissue that met with his empty automail port. Even through the thin fabric of the bedsheet, the contours of the leg port could be felt pressing against his thigh as he loomed over the child. Just the right amount of pressure and basic friction to get his blood pumping. Roy had contemplated opening the hospital gown further, pulling back the covers to see just how much of this gorgeous creature bore scars, almost doing so. The boy moaned softly in his sleep, causing the Lil Colonel to start saluting...Until his larger head regained control of his motor functions (thus blood flow) and a wave of nausea crashed over him. The Colonel managed to hold it together long enough to get out of sight before vomiting pretty much all over the side of the car.

Edward Elric, for all his badassery was still a prepubescent, damaged boy with no right arm or left leg. So..

"That makes the man who aspired to be Fuhrer not only homosexual but hebephilic, acrotomophilic, antirobinasticidic and possibly somnophilic- aren't big words for sexual attractions fun?" Ed told them both while standing in Fuhrer Mustang's office, again with that unsettling giggle. Roy turned bright red and hung his head in shame. "Only one of those labels are remotely okay Fuhrer Bastard. One of which is also illegal as fuck. Three are still really kinda messed up though one more so than the others- I mean I was dead to the world while you molested me."

"Shut up." the older man groaned. "I did no such thing."

"Really? Getting a boner from ogling then touching me while I was heavily drugged isn't molestation? Mmm...if I had known then I'm sure I would have knocked your teeth out. But now..."

"N-now?" Even though the paler of the two stammered, Hughes still had his glasses fog up. Had Juliet turned up the thermostat?

The small boy stood on his toes to grab Roy's tie and yank him down to his level.

"If you're a good boy, I'll let you act on those wicked desires- I can be any age you want Roy. How's that for incentive to actually do your job?" Ed stage whispered in his ear.

Maes wasn't sure which of them passed out first.

*EQ*

Yeah, that happened. Those big words are indeed REAL paraphilias.

Homosexual- I will not insult your intelligence; this is also the one Ed referes to as ok.

Hebephilia- sexual attraction to the 11-14 year old age group... also creepy and illegal as shit

Acrotomophilia- sexual attraction to amputees. In Roy's case this is also paired with a few others but this one is the most basic/

antirobinasticidia- sexual attraction to scars

Somnophilia- sexual attraction to sleeping/unconscious people; really messed up if the other person isn't on board with it.

Not sure how graphic I intend to make this new aspect of their relationship but I do guarantee anything more adult than this will be in a separate M rated side fic on ffnet but just a clearly marked chapter on AO3.

When Ed goes back home to have Winry fix him after Scar trashed his automail, it's made pretty clear this is not a new thing. Ed routinely require some sort of repairs and Winry is not a fan of having strange people tinkering with her work. So it's very plausible that Fullmetal got himself messed up badly enough to need full replacement at least once before said episode.

Love it? Hate it? Kinda weirded out? Let me know! Reviews are like hugs. Sirensoundwave out!


End file.
